55 gallon sump build

Ya, there is no flow control with an inline setup.

You make a good point with removing the brace and adding the baffles. I'm no expert or anything on that, I'm just saying I understand your reasoning.

So what you are saying is the middle baffle from the skimmer section will set height in the fuge? The fuge will just overflow to the return?

The skimmer baffles are an under over under design... that will work, unless your skimmer puts out bubbles underwater. The point of the trap is to do a over under over... to first take water off the surface then force bubbles down where they don't want to go... once in the next chamber, any bubbles left will be forced to the surface where they will pop.

Personally.. I'm a big fan of putting the return in between skimmer and fuge... but not the end of the world. Honestly, I think You could get away with no bubble traps from skimmer to fuge. Just a partition to set level and over flow to the fuge. Who cares about any bubbles making it there. Then do an over under over trap to your return. Sand stays in place, bubbles get removed, fuge is well oxygenated, everyone's happy.

Just understand that you want to set skimmer level to stay constant. Set fuge level a little lower so there is no water fall or even equal. Bubble trap after fuge... the first and last baffle needs to be equal to or less than the skimmer partition.

Sorry... does all that make sense?

 

Powerman
I tried the set up with the baffles over onder over but the nautilis puts out a lot of micro bubbles, I looked at various manufactures and etss has it set this waybut only using 4 baffles, so I figured why not add more to stop these micro bubbles, they look horrible in my display tank, any reason why you like your set up better

 

Telgar how big is your return pump it looks like a mag 18, I have a Hydrive 2800, its putting out about 2600 GPH at my tank. will that make a difference in flow thru the sump

 

Actually it's a Mag 12 and it also feeds the skimmer on it's way up to the returns. keep in mind i'm only running a 90 gallon display tank, but I have all the flow I need. Make sure you put a ball valve on the return line so you can dial down the flow if you need to.

 

i was referring to the outermost baffle on the right hand side of the pic (viewers right).

reason for T is to feed your fuge with un-skimmed water (good for fuge). but the return in the middle is also a good idea maybe better.

 

Fischkid
I see what you are talking about, right now my skimmer is removing stuff out before it hits the fuge, is this bad?

 

Fischkid
The last baffle on the right side was put there just to eliminate the micro bubbles(? I hope?)

 

The basic school of thought on that seems to be it's not efficient and could possibly starve the fuge, thats just the thought, there is some data that supports that skimmer flow rates could never filter enough water to do that. But it has led to the designs with the return in the middle and the skimmer compartments and fuge on opposite ends.

 

Telgar
Thanks that does make sense.

 

Your welcome, hope all this has actually helped